76 
SOO. OF AM. TAXIDERMISTS, ANNUAL REPORT. 
can reach from the opening of the leg to the opposite side of the 
body, so that the leg-wires cross one another. Bend tlie ends 
into hooks, place a little tow between the wires and the shell, 
and fill the openings of the leg-joints with cotton. Place the 
animal in a walking attitude on the temporary pedestal, support- 
ing the body by a block of wood just as thick as the height that 
yon wish to have it from the ground. Bear in mind that the third 
pair of legs keeps step with the first, and the fourth with the 
second, and that they do not sprawl away from the body, but 
keep pretty close to it. Therefore, what may by courtesy be 
called the knee-joint, should be bent at a pretty sharp angle. All 
tills being done, pour in a little thin plaster of paris, and thus 
unite the wires in a solid mass. Do not meddle with the speci- 
men until the plaster has thoroughly set. When it has, put the 
carapace in place, adjusting it carefully over the legs, and tie it 
firmly on, lest it should warp in drying ; also, pin out the eyes 
and arrange the feelers. In case the specimen is to be resting 
on its pedestal it will be unnecessary to run the wire through the 
legs, and quite slender wires may then be used, since their only 
purpose will l)e to keep the legs in place and render it impossi])le 
for them to fall off should they become disjointed. The animal 
is held in place by means of a wire bent into the shape of a wide 
U, one end of which is run through the front portion of the 
body and the other through the hinder part, the middle of the U 
passing over all the leg-wires and holding them securely in place. 
Lobsters are usually placed flat on their pedestals, and the fasten- 
ing wire is run through the entire length of the tail and brought 
out at the tip of it. For museum or other purposes it is often 
desirable to study all sides of a specimen, and in such cases the 
mode of procedure is as follows : Shape a piece of wood so that 
it will fit loosely in the body cavity and attach it securely to a 
rod of sufficient size to firmly support the finished piece. This 
rod is variously placed according to the position in which it is 
wished to have the finished specimen. 
In the case of crabs it is desirable to have them “stand on 
end,” and the rod may be brought out at the rear of the body, 
while in lobsters it may be brought out through the center of 
the thorax. The legs having been wired, this piece of wood is 
